Terms Used In Utah Code > Title 80 > Chapter 2 > Part 10 - Division and Child Welfare Records

• Abuse: means :
            (1)(a)(i)

                 (1)(a)(i)(A) nonaccidental harm of a child;

                 (1)(a)(i)(B) threatened harm of a child;

                 (1)(a)(i)(C) sexual exploitation;

                 (1)(a)(i)(D) sexual abuse; or

                 (1)(a)(i)(E) human trafficking of a child in violation of Section Utah Code 80-1-102
• Adjudication: means , except as provided in Subsection (3)(b):
            (3)(a)(i) for a delinquency petition or criminal information under Chapter 6, Juvenile Justice:

                 (3)(a)(i)(A) a finding by the juvenile court that the facts alleged in a delinquency petition or criminal information alleging that a minor committed an offense have been proved;

                 (3)(a)(i)(B) an admission by a minor in the juvenile court as described in Section 80-6-306; or

                 (3)(a)(i)(C) a plea of no contest by minor in the juvenile court; or
            (3)(a)(ii) for all other proceedings under this title, a finding by the juvenile court that the facts alleged in the petition have been proved. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Allegation: something that someone says happened.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Board: means the Board of Juvenile Court Judges. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Child: means , except as provided in Section 80-2-905, an individual who is under 18 years old. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Child and family plan: means a written agreement between a child's parents or guardian and the Division of Child and Family Services as described in Section 80-3-307. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Child protection team: means a team consisting of:
       (11)(a) the child welfare caseworker assigned to the case;
       (11)(b) if applicable, the child welfare caseworker who made the decision to remove the child;
       (11)(c) a representative of the school or school district where the child attends school;
       (11)(d) if applicable, the law enforcement officer who removed the child from the home;
       (11)(e) a representative of the appropriate Children's Justice Center, if one is established within the county where the child resides;
       (11)(f) if appropriate, and known to the division, a therapist or counselor who is familiar with the child's circumstances;
       (11)(g) if appropriate, a representative of law enforcement selected by the chief of police or sheriff in the city or county where the child resides; and
       (11)(h) any other individuals determined appropriate and necessary by the team coordinator and chair. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Child-placing agency: means the same as that term is defined in Section 26B-2-101. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Chronic abuse: means repeated or patterned abuse. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Chronic neglect: means repeated or patterned neglect. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Consumer: means a person who receives services offered by the division in accordance with this chapter. See Utah Code 80-2-102
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Department: means the Department of Health and Human Services created in Section 26B-1-201. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• dependency: means a child who is without proper care through no fault of the child's parent, guardian, or custodian. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Director: means the director of the division appointed under Section 80-2-202. See Utah Code 80-2-102
• Division: means the Division of Child and Family Services created in Section 80-2-201. See Utah Code 80-2-102
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Guardian: means a person appointed by a court to make decisions regarding a minor, including the authority to consent to:
       (35)(a) marriage;
       (35)(b) enlistment in the armed forces;
       (35)(c) major medical, surgical, or psychiatric treatment; or
       (35)(d) legal custody, if legal custody is not vested in another individual, agency, or institution. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Guardian ad litem: means the same as that term is defined in Section 78A-2-801. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Indian child: means the same as that term is defined in Utah Code 80-1-102
• Indian tribe: means the same as that term is defined in Utah Code 80-1-102
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Licensing Information System: means the Licensing Information System maintained by the Division of Child and Family Services under Section 80-2-1002. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Management Information System: means the Management Information System developed by the Division of Child and Family Services under Section 80-2-1001. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Minor: means , except as provided in Sections 80-6-501, 80-6-901, and 80-7-102:
       (54)(a) a child; or
       (54)(b) an individual:

            (54)(b)(i)

                 (54)(b)(i)(A) who is at least 18 years old and younger than 21 years old; and

                 (54)(b)(i)(B) for whom the Division of Child and Family Services has been specifically ordered by the juvenile court to provide services because the individual was an abused, neglected, or dependent child or because the individual was adjudicated for an offense;

            (54)(b)(ii)

                 (54)(b)(ii)(A) who is at least 18 years old and younger than 25 years old; and

                 (54)(b)(ii)(B) whose case is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court in accordance with Subsection 78A-6-103(1)(b); or

            (54)(b)(iii)

                 (54)(b)(iii)(A) who is at least 18 years old and younger than 21 years old; and

                 (54)(b)(iii)(B) whose case is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court in accordance with Subsection 78A-6-103(1)(c). See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Neglect: means action or inaction causing:
            (58)(a)(i) abandonment of a child, except as provided in Chapter 4, Part 5, Safe Relinquishment of a Newborn Child;
            (58)(a)(ii) lack of proper parental care of a child by reason of the fault or habits of the parent, guardian, or custodian;
            (58)(a)(iii) failure or refusal of a parent, guardian, or custodian to provide proper or necessary subsistence or medical care, or any other care necessary for the child's health, safety, morals, or well-being;
            (58)(a)(iv) a child to be at risk of being neglected or abused because another child in the same home is neglected or abused;
            (58)(a)(v) abandonment of a child through an unregulated child custody transfer under Section 78B-24-203; or
            (58)(a)(vi) educational neglect. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Person: means :
       (24)(a) an individual;
       (24)(b) an association;
       (24)(c) an institution;
       (24)(d) a corporation;
       (24)(e) a company;
       (24)(f) a trust;
       (24)(g) a limited liability company;
       (24)(h) a partnership;
       (24)(i) a political subdivision;
       (24)(j) a government office, department, division, bureau, or other body of government; and
       (24)(k) any other organization or entity. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
• Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of a judicial proceeding. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• Protective custody: means the shelter of a child by the Division of Child and Family Services from the time the child is removed from the home until the earlier of:
       (66)(a) the day on which the shelter hearing is held under Section 80-3-301; or
       (66)(b) the day on which the child is returned home. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Protective services: means expedited services that are provided:
       (67)(a) in response to evidence of neglect, abuse, or dependency of a child;
       (67)(b) to a cohabitant who is neglecting or abusing a child, in order to:

            (67)(b)(i) help the cohabitant develop recognition of the cohabitant's duty of care and of the causes of neglect or abuse; and

            (67)(b)(ii) strengthen the cohabitant's ability to provide safe and acceptable care; and
       (67)(c) in cases where the child's welfare is endangered:

            (67)(c)(i) to bring the situation to the attention of the appropriate juvenile court and law enforcement agency;

            (67)(c)(ii) to cause a protective order to be issued for the protection of the child, when appropriate; and

            (67)(c)(iii) to protect the child from the circumstances that endanger the child's welfare including, when appropriate:

                 (67)(c)(iii)(A) removal from the child's home;

                 (67)(c)(iii)(B) placement in substitute care; and

                 (67)(c)(iii)(C) petitioning the court for termination of parental rights. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Severe type of child abuse or neglect: means , except as provided in Subsection (78)(b):
            (78)(a)(i) if committed by an individual who is 18 years old or older:

                 (78)(a)(i)(A) chronic abuse;

                 (78)(a)(i)(B) severe abuse;

                 (78)(a)(i)(C) sexual abuse;

                 (78)(a)(i)(D) sexual exploitation;

                 (78)(a)(i)(E) abandonment;

                 (78)(a)(i)(F) chronic neglect; or

                 (78)(a)(i)(G) severe neglect; or
            (78)(a)(ii) if committed by an individual who is under 18 years old:

                 (78)(a)(ii)(A) causing serious physical injury, as defined in Subsection 76-5-109(1), to another child that indicates a significant risk to other children; or

                 (78)(a)(ii)(B) sexual behavior with or upon another child that indicates a significant risk to other children. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
• Subject of the report: includes the child who is the alleged victim of the report and the person responsible for the child's care. See Utah Code 80-2-102
• Substance abuse: means , except as provided in Section 80-2-603, the misuse or excessive use of alcohol or other drugs or substances. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• substantiation: means a judicial finding based on a preponderance of the evidence, and separate consideration of each allegation made or identified in the case, that abuse, neglect, or dependency occurred . See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Supported: means a finding by the Division of Child and Family Services based on the evidence available at the completion of an investigation, and separate consideration of each allegation made or identified during the investigation, that there is a reasonable basis to conclude that abuse, neglect, or dependency occurred. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Temporary custody: means , with regard to the division, the custody of a child from the day on which the shelter hearing described in Section 80-3-301 is held until the day on which the juvenile court enters a disposition under Section 80-3-405. See Utah Code 80-2-102
• United States: includes each state, district, and territory of the United States of America. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
• Unsubstantiated: means a judicial finding that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that abuse, neglect, or dependency occurred. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Unsupported: means a finding by the Division of Child and Family Services at the completion of an investigation, after the day on which the Division of Child and Family Services concludes the alleged abuse, neglect, or dependency is not without merit, that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that abuse, neglect, or dependency occurred. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Without merit: means a finding at the completion of an investigation by the Division of Child and Family Services, or a judicial finding, that the alleged abuse, neglect, or dependency did not occur, or that the alleged perpetrator was not responsible for the abuse, neglect, or dependency. See Utah Code 80-1-102
• Woman: means an adult human female. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5